Access Now denounces the imposition of internet shutdowns in Sudan today, October 25, 2021, as military forces seize control of the government in a military coup.
In a televised news conference, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared a state of emergency in the country, seized control of the government, and dissolved the Sovereign Council , Sudan’s transitional government which included both civilian and military members. 

Earlier this morning, the Ministry of Culture and Information stated on Facebook that the military has arrested Sudan’s Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and multiple other government officials and is now detaining them in an unknown location.

Shortly after reports of the military coup hit the media waves, the Sudanese authorities began shutting down access to the internet and telecommunication services. Data from Google Transparency reports and Internet Outage Detection and Analysis (IODA) shows a significant dip in traffic of internet connectivity at about 3:00 am UTC. The shutdown is affecting both fixed and mobile internet connectivity across the country on all major internet service providers. 

“Imposing internet shutdowns and blocking access to telephone lines is in violation of international human rights law,” said Felicia Anthonio, Campaigner and #KeepItOn Lead at Access Now. “Shutting down the internet while a military coup is unveiling and protesters are out on the street is a clear sign that someone is trying to cover up something. After authorities met protests for democracy in 2019 with a complete internet shutdown, the world was shocked by the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Sudanese people, and a return to this tactic is a major warning sign of what could follow...”